Bicycle



(No Mum.)

H. W. LIBBEY.

BIGYGLE.

Patented Dec. 11', 1894.

UNITED STATES:

PATENT QFFICE.

HOSEA w. LIBBEY, or BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

BICYCLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 530,540, dated December 11, 1894.

Application filed December 16, 1893. Serial No. 493,849. (No model.) i

To aZZ whom it mayconcern;

Be it known that I, HOSEA W. LIBBEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bicycles, of which the following, taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawings, is a specification.

My invention relates to certain improvements in the propelling mechanism for bicycles and the invention consists of a divided axle each portion of which is operated to propel the wheel forward by means of a lever operating a belt or strap wound around a drum secured to the outer end of each portion of the axle to which drum one end of said strap is attached, the other end being attached to the said operating lever and a series of pawls attached to a; divided hub, each section of the axle being provided with depressions or recesses into which said pawls fall, a volute spring being attached at one end to the drum carrying the operating strap and the'other end of said spring being attached to a box or casing secured to the frame so that when the operating lever has been depressed to rotate one shaft section, the volute spring willcause the strap to be again woundupon the drum ready for a further operation all as hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings Figure 1 represents a side view of a bicycle embodying my invention. Fig. 2- is a section taken through the divided hub, frame, bearings, and boxes, the divided axle being shown in side elevation. view of the same. Fig. 4.-- is a cross section taken on line to, w, of Fig. 2. Fig. 5-- is a similar section taken on line a", w, of Fig. 2. Fig. 6- is a cross section taken on line y, y, of Fig. 2, and Fig. 7-- is a cross section taken through the frame bearing on line a, z, of Fig. 2.

A represents the front wheeLB the rear or driving wheel, and G the frame, which may be of ordinary construction.

The axle of the driving wheel is formed in Fig. 3- is a side will be best seen in Figs. 3 and 4. This divided hub E, is formed with two projections e, in which are mounted pawls F, that take or fall into recesses or notches d formed-in each of the portions of the divided axle as shown. See Figs. 2 and 4. At the outer end of each portion of the divided axle is secured a partitioned drum G, to one part of which is secured one end of a strap or belt H, the other end of which is attached to one of the operating levers I, fulcrumed at t, to the frame 0. The outer end of each of these levers is provided with a pivoted foot rest J.

To the inner portion of the drum G, is se cured one end of a volute spring K,the other end of which is attached to a box or casing L,secured to the frame of the machine which box or casing also incloses the drum G, and protects it from dust and dirt, and in the up per part of the box or casing L, is an opening Z, through which the strap or belt H, passes a friction rollerk, being fitted on one side of the said opening to prevent the wearing of the strap H, as it is drawn out and in.

The lower ends of the rear fork of the frame are fitted with boxes M, in the upper portion of which are placedballs m, that rest upon the axle D, D", to reduce friction.

The operation is as follows: The rider de presses the front ends of the lever I, alternately. As one of said levers is depressed its rear end is raised and draws upon the strap H, and unwinds it from the drum G, which being secured upon one of the sections D, D, of the axle causes said section to be rotated. One or more of the pawls F, on the divided hub E, falling into one or more of the recesses 01*, in the axle section causes the wheel to be rotated. The rider then raises his foot and the volute spring K, causes the said axle section to be rotated in the opposite direction thereby again winding the strap H, upon the drum G, ready for another propelling action.

As one ofthe levers I, is being depressed the other is being raised so that one or the other of theaxle sections is rotated to drive the wheel while the other section is rotated by the volute spring in the opposite direction, so that there is always a propelling force being exerted upon the divided hub of the wheel and momentum retained.

Although I have described and shown my invention as applied'to a bicycle it is obvious that it could be applied to other kinds of road vehicles.

What I claim is 1. In a bicycle an axle divided in the center of its length and having collars at the inner end of each section said collars bearing against each other and a hub divided longitudinally and having annular recessed projections, pawls mounted in said recesses and ratchet teeth on the axle sections for said pawls and'means for alternately rotatingsaid;

axle sections as set forth.

2. In a bicycle a single hub divided longitudinally and inclosing an axle divided in the erating lever and a volute spring for rewindingjthe strap upon the drumsubstantially as 2 5 set forth.

3. In a bicycle an axle formed in two parts D, D, collars d, d, secured on their inner ends, a longitudinally divided wheel hub E,

pawls F, arranged therein, ratchet teeth d 3c cut in the axle section, a drum G, on the outer end of each axle section, straps H, secured at one end to said drums G, the outer ends being attached to operating levers I, fulcrumed to the frame of the machine, and volute springs 5 K, for rewinding said straps H, upon the drums G, substantially as shown and described. 

